Lesson 2: The Dao of the Body
How to nurture the body
Hey there,
I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday and are ready to continue our journey on the way of the dao.
How did it feel to write your intentions down?
Did it bring a sense of clarity and purpose to your week ahead?
I'd love to hear how it went for you. So feel free to share your experiences, insights, or any challenges you encountered along the way by commenting below!
As promised, now we'll dive into the first pillar of The Way of the Dao: how to nurture the body.
We all want to achieve a state of physical harmony and vitality.
Because how does the saying go?
“A healthy man has many wishes, a sick man only one.”
And it's true. Because when you're not feeling well, all you want is to feel better, right?
Our bodies are our vessels for experiencing life. And it's essential to take care of them to achieve balance and harmony.
In ancient Chinese wisdom, the body is seen as an interconnected system of energy flow. And Daoist practices focus on taking care of the body to keep it balanced and healthy. Whether it's through mindful eating or gentle exercises, there are plenty of ways they provide to look after your physical self.
But at the heart of every method lies one fundamental principle: maintaining balance and harmony within the body's energy system. And you can achieve this balance by cultivating the free flow of qi (氣 – pronounced "chee").
So, what is qi? And why is it so important?
Qi is a key concept in Daoist understanding of health, balance, and harmony. It's the basic building block that makes up everything in our universe. It’s present in all living things and ties together physical, mental, and spiritual aspects.
Put simply: Qi flows through everything—our bodies, nature, and the universe.
There are different types and qualities of qi. Unfortunately, we don't have time to go into all the details here. What you need to understand for now is that, when it comes to our bodies, qi is like our vital life force. That means when your qi flows smoothly, you feel energized, healthy, and balanced. But if there are blockages or imbalances, you experience physical or emotional symptoms.
This leads us to the question: how can we balance and enhance the flow of qi within our bodies?
We'll look at 2 different approaches today:
Traditional Chinese Medicine
And Qi Gong
First, let’s explore the healing properties of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It's a great way to balance your qi, especially with our modern lifestyles. If you don’t have the knowledge and/or time to include qi-balancing practices in your life right now, TCM is a great place to start. And it’s an important resource to keep you grounded and healthy. TCM has been around for centuries, helping with all sorts of health issues. And it’s still valued today for its healing benefits.
But it works a little different than Western medicine.
It draws a lot from Daoist principles, which is why it looks at the body as a whole instead of just focusing on single symptoms. It sees the physical, mental, and spiritual sides as connected, each affecting the other.
Traditional Chinese Medicine includes, for example, practices like:
Gua sha (刮痧)
Bonesetting (die da 跌打)
Acupuncture (zhen jiu 針灸)
Dietary therapy (shi liao 食療)
Massage therapy (tui na 推拿)
Cupping therapy (ba guan 拔罐)
Herbal medicine (zhong yao xue 中藥學)
Exercises like Qi Gong (氣功) and Tai Chi (tai ji quan 太極拳)
And all these practices aim to balance the flow of energy within the body and promote overall well-being.
But ideally, setting aside some time to regularly practice qi work is more beneficial. Simply because you’ll become more aware of your body and its energy flow while cultivating energy throughout the body on your own. And as a bonus, it saves you from having to visit the doctor every week.
This brings us to our second approach: Qi Gong (氣功 – pronounced "chee gong"). Qi Gong can help you balance and also enhance your qi.
In Chinese, gong (功) refers to "achievement," "merit," or "skill." It is often used in contexts related to work, effort, or accomplishments. For example, it's the same gong as in gong fu 功夫, which we know in the West as "kung fu."
So, Qi Gong is basically the effort of cultivating our vital life force.
Qi Gong has been practiced for centuries in China to promote overall health and well-being. It's a gentle, low-impact practice that combines movement, breathing techniques, and meditation to cultivate the flow of qi within the body.
There are many different types of Qi Gong, but the core principles remain the same.
I think simply writing down a Qi Gong routine is not going to be enough for you, so here’s a video showcasing a simple Qi Gong practice:
But just knowing about these practices isn't enough.
To really transform your life, you must make them part of your daily routine.
So, here are a few tips on how you can bring TCM principles and Qi Gong into your daily life:
Morning, Day, or Evening Routine: Set aside 10-30 minutes each morning to start your day with a short Qi Gong practice to awaken your body's energy flow. You can also practice it in the evening or take breaks throughout the day for a quick Qi Gong session.
Acupressure Points: Try using acupressure points to relax and ease tension. You can spend a few minutes massaging spots on your hands, feet, or temples to let go of stress and balance your energy flow.
Healthy Eating: Bring a touch of TCM to your diet by focusing on foods that nourish and support your qi. For example, stick to a mix of whole, unprocessed foods and try to cut back on overly processed, sugary, or greasy options.
Herbal Teas: Add some TCM herbal medicine by including herbal teas into your daily routine. For example, ginseng tea is known for its energy-boosting properties and can help balance the body’s qi.
There is a wealth of information readily available on YouTube. To help you kickstart your journey, here are a few of my favorite channels:
For Qi Gong routines: Nick Loffree, Lee Holden, Yoqi
For TCM practices: Dr. Alex Hui, Dr. Alex Heyne
Of course, these are just a few suggestions. There are countless ways to to bring TCM principles and Qi Gong into your daily routine. The key is to find what works best for you and make it a consistent practice.
Remember, small changes can make a big difference.
And nurturing your body is a crucial step towards achieving balance and harmony on the way of the dao. So, start incorporating these practices into your daily life and see how they benefit you.
See you for lesson 3, where we'll explore the second pillar of The Way of the Dao – how to nurture the mind.
Until then, stay healthy.
– Zhenya
P.S. Missed lesson 1? You can find the first lesson about laying the foundation here: The Dao of Beginnings and catch up on everything you need to know before diving deeper into our journey.